Top 5 Ways to Use Your Storage Shed This Winter

For many homeowners, the storage shed is a place to keep garden tools, lawn equipment, recreational items and other objects associated with somewhat warm weather. But a storage shed should be taken advantage of year-round, not just in spring, summer and fall.

Here are some ideas that will help you get the most out of your storage shed during the colder months, too.

Store wood pellets, firewood or coal: Anyone with a wood or coal-burning stove in their house knows how often the fuel needs to be replenished. Instead of trekking out to the edge of the backyard to your stash of firewood, coal or wood pellets, keep a smaller amount nearby in your storage shed. Many people have positioned their storage shed in a place that’s convenient to access from the front door, so having the supplies in the shed means those refill trips are a bit shorter. Who wouldn’t want that in the dead of winter?

Store salt and cleanup equipment: The same type of concept applies here — stow away a portion of the salt in your shed. We recommend keeping a supply of salt somewhere in your foyer or entranceway so it’s easy and quick to grab when you need to de-ice your walkway. Keeping the rest in your storage shed makes sense because you’ll be passing by it on your way to the driveway. This allows you to keep the larger bag or bucket (which, unlike your storage shed, in no way adds to the look of your home) out of sight. The shed is also a great place for winter cleanup equipment. Nothing is more frustrating than having to rush to work because you didn’t realize it had snowed and you had to unexpectedly search an ice scraper or shovel. We also recommend keeping a pair or two of gloves out there, and some hand warmers. If you make it a point to always keep these items in your shed, you’ll save yourself lots of time and energy.

Store knickknacks: Do you have decorative items hanging outside your home? Instead of packing these away for winter and forgetting about them come spring because they’re out of sight, keep them visible on a shelf in the shed. They’ll be protected from the snow, sleet and ice, and you’ll see them often enough to remember to bring them back out when winter begins to fade.

Store a generator: Depending on the size of your shed and what types of other storage space you have available, the shed may be the best bet for storing your generator. Not only will the shed house the machine and fuel, keeping it safe from the elements, but it will do so securely. We recommend having a lock installed on your storage shed to keep pricey equipment like generators safe and out of reach.

Keep shovels and sleds nearby: When the first major snowfall hits (we have yet to have ours here in the Hudson Valley and Connecticut area), don’t spend time digging around the attic or the cluttered basement looking for the kids’ sleds and toboggans. Have them nearby and available to the children, who can grab them from the storage shed on the way out to their favorite neighborhood hill.